Nike’s Elephant Revived

Nike’s Elephant Revived

Sneakerheads voted for the shoe during Air Max Day 2016

Back by popular demand, the atmos x Nike Air Max 1 “Elephant” has returned for a second reckoning after being voted in as the ultimate classic crowd favourite for 2017. It was during last year’s Air Max Day that Nike asked sneaker fanatics what model they’d like to see revived to ring in 30 years of Air. Topping the list, alongside the “Elephant”, were grails such as the Air Max 90 “Duck Camo” and the Air Max 90 “War Hawk”.

Hailing from Tokyo, Japan the “Elephant” design was brought to life back in 2007 through a partnership between Nike and Japanese boutique store, atmos. Creative director of atmos, Hirofumi Kojima, told Nike his idea was to create something “crazy” that would leave an impact on the market. Inspired by the Air Jordan IIIs, Kojima utilized the sneaker’s iconic cracked concrete print, adding splashes of vibrant teal to the classic Air Max design in order to emulate the image of an elephant taking a bath.

Due to the atmos x Nike Air Max 1 “Elephant” and the Air Jordan IIIs’ close history, the Jordan IIIs are also scheduled to bounce back this year. The original print has been swapped out for a spotted safari pattern that pair seamlessly with the staple teal swoosh.

Kojima spoke to Nike expressing both bewilderment and joy at the Air Max sneaker’s 2017 resurrection. “Of course it was a great pleasure and the greatest honor for a person whose job is about sneakers. To be honest, I did not realize the significance of the event at first, but a lot of celebratory remarks from the staff and my friends made me realize it.”

Next week Nike will be dropping two new models: The Air Max 1 Master on March 25 and the Nike Air VaporMax on Air Max Day (March 26).